The Rain Stopped
by Envyx13
Summary: She had to choose which was most important to her. Her family, her life, her status, everything that she held close to her or the only man she would ever love again. Could she stop the rain from falling? UraharaxYoruichi fanfic. No flames please.
1. Prologue

**The Rain Stopped  
_By:: Melissa_**

**Disclaimer::** I do not own anything in this story. Everything belongs to Tite Kubo, creator of Bleach. Constructive criticism is welcome. No flames please.

* * *

**Prologue**

It was always raining. Day in and day out. It never stopped. Whenever I would want it to stop, it wouldn't. Whenever I didn't want it to stop it still kept raining. The atmosphere around me was spring-like, warm, a gentle breeze always blowing. But inside, it was a constant cover of clouds, always in the shadows. Darkness always lurked there. No matter how hard light tried to get in, nothing would come. The rain would block out all sunlight. The clouds would dissuade all light. The stars were covered. The moon hid her face from the world inside my soul. Scared to come out because of the clouds. But when it rained, _she_ would always come out. She would come out to play. She would laugh and smile and giggle. The rain, the sadness would never keep her away. She was always there, lending a hand. But what if the rain got to be too much for her? What if the clouds scared her too much? What if it all was too much? Would she leave me forever? Or would she stay? Would she try and help get rid of the clouds? Would she try and help stop the rain from falling? Would she be able to kill the darkness and finally shed some light on this darkened soul? Will the rain ever stop?

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_**Well, that was kinda short. But it's just a prologue to set up the main story, i suppose. the main idea. and hopefully it will later explain the title to this story. so since this is only the beginning of the story, i don't have too much to say so, please review! Thanks! 3**_


	2. Chapter 1

**The Rain Stopped  
_By:: Melissa_**

**Disclaimer::** I do not own anything from this story. Everything belongs to Tite Kubo, creator of Bleach. Constructive criticism is welcome. No flames please.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

"Hey! Stop that!" A girl's voice yelled loudly.

"Make me!" a young boy started running away, a bag of coins in his hand. Suddenly, the girl hurled herself in the air and kicked the boy in the waist. He fell over, dropping the bag in the process.

"There, if you had just given it to me, then you wouldn't have gotten hurt. You shouldn't steal money from people!" She gave him a sharp swat on the head before going over to a blond hair boy and giving him back his stolen bag.

"Thanks, Yoru-chan." The blond haired boy smiled genially, rubbing the back of his head with his hand.

"You need to be more aggressive, Kisuke-kun. If you aren't then they'll just keep trying to steal your money." She scolded him. He rolled his eyes, knowing that the big speech was coming.

"Yoru-chan, I don't need the speech today. I understand but you know me… I can't…" he started but the girl cut him off.

"Can't means won't! You haven't even tried!" The girl raised up her arms exasperatedly.

"Maybe someday, ne?" he smiled, turning to walk down the crowded streets of the Rukongai.

They walked together in silence for awhile before the boy's face lit up. He looked over at his friend and motioned for her to follow him. They started running to a field and when they got there, they stopped.

"What is it, Kisuke-kun?"

"I have an idea."

"Well, what is it?"

"You see that stand there?"

"The one with all the apples on it?"

"You distract the owner and I'll steal some apples for dinner."

"Kisuke-kun, why don't you just eat with me?"

"You know me, I'm too stubborn. Besides, I like apples more than that stuff they feed you."

"Well, okay, I'll help. What do you want me to do?"

"Just go up to him and make it look like you're going to steal an apple and I'll come up behind you and steal some and then you run away making it look like you stole one while I walk away with the apples! It's a perfect plan!"

"Okay, as long as I don't get punished for it."

"Well, if you get caught I'll just save you, alright?"

"Alright, let's go!"

They both started running toward the fruit stand. Kisuke stayed behind a little ways as Yoruichi went forward to the stand. She picked up an apple but set it down again, looking at each apple. The owner looked at her suspiciously, keeping a close eye on her to make sure she didn't steal anything.

"Owner, how much are these apples?" Yoruichi asked, turning to the owner.

"Too much for you, little girl," the owner said, a smirk coming across his face.

"Hmmmm…." Yoruichi looked at the apples some more, inspecting each one. When she saw Kisuke walking closer, she made herself look even more suspicious by sneaking glances around her.

Kisuke walked up and made it look as if he was just passing the stand when he glanced sideways at Yoruichi and winked. She grinned and started running away.

"Hey! You thief!" the owner yelled, running after Yoruichi. No one was looking at Kisuke as he pocketed five apples for himself. He walked away, laughing all the while.

Yoruichi had given up the chase and let the owner catch her.

"You thief, I'm going to cut your hand off for stealing one of my apples! Now give it back!" the owner screamed at Yoruichi, who had a grin on her face.

"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't steal any apples. Look," Yoruichi said, holding out her hands and pulling her pockets inside out. She even opened the front of her kimono for the owner to see that she had no apples.

"Well, fine, but next time I'll catch you." With that, the owner walked off. Yoruichi ran to the field where her and Kisuke made the plan and saw him sitting there, a half eaten apple in his hand. He looked back at her when he heard her coming.

"What wonderful acting," Kisuke laughed, throwing the apple core to the side.

"You didn't do half bad yourself," she smiled, looking out over the setting sun.

"Hey, Kisuke-kun?"

"Yes?"

"Can you promise me something?"

"Depends on what it is."

"Can you promise that you…. that you won't ever leave me without telling me?" Yoruichi looked down at her hands, ashamed.

"What makes you think I'll leave you without telling you?"

"Well, you know….everyone else has left me without telling me…and…" Yoruichi felt Kisuke's hand under her chin. He pushed her chin up so that he look into her golden eyes.

"Yoru-chan, I'm not like everyone else. I promise to tell you if I leave you." He smiled, handing her an apple. She smiled as well, biting into the apple. She sat there with him until it turned dark.

"C'mon, I'll walk you home." Kisuke stood up, brushing himself off. Yoruichi stood up as well and walked with him in the dark. Several minutes later, they were in front of the Noble House of Shihouin.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow, right?" Yoruichi turned to look at Kisuke. He looked at her contemplatively.

"Of course. Same time, same place. Where the sakura blossoms are. Night." With that, Kisuke ran off to his own home, leaving Yoruichi standing in the front gate of her home. She sighed, wondering if Kisuke would ever feel the same feelings for her as she felt for him. She walked slowing toward the giant house, a downcast look forming on her face.

Kisuke kept running until he was in front of his house. He walked in and went quickly to his room, not saying anything to any of the other people staying there. He shut the door to his room and sighed heavily. He looked up at the ceiling and memories from that afternoon surfaced into his mind. He smiled slightly but the smile quickly slid from his face. He wondered if Yoruichi would ever think of his as more than a friend, just as he thought of her as more than a friend. He sighed again, getting up and dressing for bed. He stood looking out of his window and saw the sakura petals falling gently to the ground in the field. He looked away and blew out the candle, realizing that he would have yet another night of dreams filled with Yoruichi.

As Yoruichi got dressed for bed, she looked out her window and smelled he faint frangrance of the sakura blossoms from the field not far from her house. She closed her eyes and inhaled the smell. She smiled, remembering the events from that day. She always enjoyed playing with Kisuke. She opened her eyes and her smile quickly faded.

"But the way I feel about him….he would never feel the same way…" she thought to herself, quietly blowing out the candle and laying on top of her futon. She sighed, closing her eyes slowly, letting sleep take over her body, her mind filled with thoughts of Kisuke.

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**_Well here's the first chapter. I'm a little worried that it might be a little OOC for both Urahara and Yoruichi but there isn't much about how they were as kids...so i kinda had to guess...hopefully it's not OOC. Please let me know if it is and i'll revise it! I thought there should be some background on both Urahara and Yoruichi...so here ya go. Pleae review! Thanks! 3_**


	3. Chapter 2

**The Rain Stopped  
_By:: Melissa_**

**Disclaimer::** I don't own anything from this story. Everything belongs to Tite Kubo, creator and author of Bleach. Constructive criticism is welcome. No flames please.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

"Betcha can't catch me!" the melodic voice laughed, darting here and there.

"I bet I can," the baritone voice said as he dashed here and there. "What was I thinking? She's the Goddess of Flash…. I can't catch her," He thought to himself, laughing quietly.

"Are you giving up already, Kisuke?" the voice asked, running past him quickly. He looked around and saw her. He ran quickly to her side and raced beside her. "Not bad," she said, admiring the fact that he could keep up with her.

"You're not even trying, Yoru-chan." He laughed, smiling genially.

"You're right, I'm not." She sped off and ran around their "playground" five times before coming back to his side. Both her and Kisuke had built an underground training room so that they could get ready for the shinigami exams and pass easily. She had stopped to catch her breath. She looked up at Kisuke and saw him watching her.

"Do you think we'll pass the Shinigami exams?" he asked, sitting down a rock. She looked at him for a minute before speaking.

"I think we will. We've been training pretty hard for the past two months. We've both tested each other's limits so I think we'll do fine. Why are you so worried?" she asked, sitting down next to him on the rock.

"I don't want to have a bad seat in the squads. I want to be able to move up quickly. What about you?" He asked, turning toward her. She thought about it for a moment.

"I wouldn't mind being a vice captain or a captain…but what I really want to be is the Commander of the Covert Ops…. I think that would be the best title to have," she said, a twinkle in her eye. He smiled and stood up, motioning toward the entrance.

"Shall we get going then?" He asked, holding out his hand to take hers. She took his hand and stood up as well.

"Of course." She smiled and walked with him to the entrance. They quickly got out of their playground and were dazzled by the sunlight. They hid the entrance and walked together back to Yoruichi's home. He still had hold of her hand.

"I'll see you tomorrow at the exams," he said, smiling that goofy smile of his. She laughed and flash stepped up to her house. He turned and ran to his own home.

The next morning, he rose bright and early for the exams. He didn't get anything for breakfast and ran quickly to the academy where the exams were being held. He met up with Yoruichi inside.

"Are you ready?" she asked, her face slightly nervous.

"I hope so," he said, his face turning a little more confident. He had to pass.

"Will all the shinigami with their names starting with A- H line up over here!" A tall vice captain yelled at the shinigami and some of them moved to go and line up.

"Those with their names starting with I-S stand over here!"

"Shinigami with names starting with T-Z, get over here quickly!" Kisuke and Yoruichi split up, wishing each other good luck. Kisuke went over to the group with their names starting with I-S and stood quietly, reviewing over everything. Yoruichi went over and stood by herself in the last group to be called and practiced her flash step.

"Group A-H, come with me!" the first group left and didn't come back. Kisuke and Yoruichi looked at each other nervously as each hour ticked by.

"Group I-S, let's go!" Kisuke stood up and looked once more at Yoruichi. She had a smile on her face and mouthed the words, "Good luck" to him. He smiled and whispered, "Thank you, you too" before leaving.

Yoruichi was all by herself now. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on what she needed to do. She didn't see Kisuke come back.

"Last group, follow me." Yoruichi stood up and quickly brushed herself off before following the shinigami into the room.

The exams lasted the entire day. There were six parts to the exam but the ones that mattered the most were the written exam, the Kido exam, and the fighting exam. Yoruichi thought she had done well, despite the fact that she almost killed the masked man she was fighting. She shook her head and sat down to wait for the results.

"Hey, Yoru-chan!" She heard his voice and her eyes instantly opened. She looked around and saw his blond head coming for her. She smiled and made a spot for Kisuke to sit down next to her.

"So how did you think you did?" he asked, looked intently at her.

"I think I did alright, how about you?" she asked, folding her hands together.

"I think I did as well as I could've, didn't make too many mistakes." He smiled at her and looked up at the ceiling. "We probably won't know the results until later tonight…"

"Who knows…it could take them hours." She repositioned herself into a more comfortable spot.

Fours hours later, a shinigami came out and announced that the results were posted. Kisuke and Yoruichi didn't get up. They waited on the floor while all the other shinigami went up to the postings and either celebrated or hung their heads. After the group died down, both Kisuke and Yoruichi got up and walked slowly over to the wall. Kisuke was the first one to look.

"What did you get?" she asked, not looking up.

"I'm the squad leader of the 12th division," he said, his eyes not leaving the sheet.

"Well, that's great, Kisuke! You'll be able to move up really fast….maybe you'll even be captain someday." She smiled, hoping the best for her friend and forgetting completely about her own ranking.

"Yoru-chan, look." Kisuke pointed to the paper at her name. She looked up. Her heart was pounding loudly in her chest. She looked at her name and saw it.

Yoruichi Shihouin. Commander of Covert Ops and Executive Militia.

"Yoru-chan…you're a commander." Kisuke's voice was barely over a whisper as Yoruichi looked at the piece of paper in shock.

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**_Kind of a short chapter. xD longer one next time, promise. One thing i will clear up now before it becomes a flame war... I looked to find out what Kisuke's and Yoruichi's first positions in the Gotei 13 was and i couldn't find anything. I even went onto a Bleach forums site and asked and the only results i got were that not many people knew. I don't think that it's even been said in the manga. So...i made it up slightly. Obviously, Kisuke would get a pretty high ranking but i doubt that he would be a captain at first so i made him the squad leader. But with Yoruichi, since she's from nobility, she could easily get the title of Commander of Covert Ops and Executive Militia. So...that's how it is. If you know what their rankings were when they were first shinigami, please let me know and i'll revise the chapter! please review! Thanks!_**


	4. Chapter 3

**The Rain Stopped  
_By:: Melissa_**

**Disclaimer::** I don't own anything in this story, except for the one made up character cameo. Everything belongs to Tite Kubo, creator of Bleach. Constructive criticism is welcome. No flames please.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

The sun was setting slowly in the west. His grey eyes looked into the dying sun, the light reflecting off of them. He had a frown on his face, as if what he was thinking about made him disturbed. He saw the colors of the sunset swirling together and it made his frown even more pronounced.

"Hey Kisuke, what's up?" Yoruichi came up next to him in their favorite field. The sakura trees were in full blossom and the petals were swirling around them in the wind. She looked at the sunset as well, her eyes dancing with light. Kisuke thought about the question and about his answer before looking at her.

"Just thinking is all. What about you?" he asked, looking into her eyes. He had a small intake of breath. It had been a long time since he had looked at Yoruichi well. She was beautiful. Her dark skin contrasted with her bright yellow eyes. Her long purple hair flowed around her, making her seem more erethreal than an angel.

"Not much, a little swamped with work is all." She smiled, sitting down on the grass. Kisuke sat down next to her, not looking at her expression.

"Well that's what commanders have to do!" Kisuke laughed, his blonde head shaking. She looked over at him and smiled. It had been a while since she had last looked at her friend. Work and other priorities had taken precedence over spending time with him. Now that she saw him, she took time to study his features. She looked over his light blonde hair as it moved in the wind, over is grey eyes that always had a mischievous twinkle in them, over his angular facethat was shaped perfectly and just for him. She stopped staring, her cheeks turning red. He looked at her with a puzzled look. Realizing why she was red, he quickly looked away, his cheeks turning a slight shade of pink.

There was a momentary silence that was neither awkward nor stressed. It was a silence that only friends could have. A silence that left you with feeling like you had talked the entire time. A silence that left you feeling like you learned more about that person than you had known previously.

"Hey, do you want to see a new invention I thought up?" Kisuke asked, looking at Yoruichi with a glint in his eyes. She smiled and laughed silently at his enthusiasm. She nodded to him. They stood up and walked together to his home. He led her in and she walked straight back to his bedroom, as if she had been there many times before. She had been there many times before. They were best friends, they used to always hang out with each other when they were younger. She knew his house like it was her own.

He walked past her and pulled out some papers from a drawer. Drawn on there were two new inventions that he had thought up.

"These are called Soul Candy. It's easy to use. Just take one of these candies and eat it and it forcibly makes the soul come out of a body. In it's place, a filler soul would be put into the body until the soul is ready to come back," he explained, pointing to the pictures and smiling the whole time. A glint of happiness was in his eyes whenever he explained to anyone any of his inventions.

"How interesting," she said, looking dazedly at the paper. Whenever Kisuke talked about his inventions, she would always be confused. And when she was confused, she got sleepy.

"And this…. This would be my most extensive invention. This one would take the most time fixing and tweaking. It's like a gigai for souls that have lost their powers in the human world but it's a little different. You see…" Just as Kisuke went on to explain about the invention, they both heard knocking on the door. They looked up then looked at each other before getting up to answer the door. They left the room and the new inventions behind. On the paper, there was drawn a picture of a human body but instead of the energy coming back into the body, they were leaving the body, little by little. They answered the door and saw a hell moth in front of them. Both startled, they waited for the hell moth to give its message.

"Captain Kusaga of the 12th Division has died today. The new captain for the 12th Division will be filled by Urahara Kisuke, as decided by captain Yamamoto." The hell moth spoke these words before leaving to announce the news to the other captains and vice captains of the Gotei 13.

Kisuke and Yoruichi looked at the empty doorway in stunned silence. They both didn't know what to think. Kisuke's hands were shaking and Yoruichi's mouth was half open. They had both heard the news. Kisuke was to be the new captain. Why couldn't they believe it? Why couldn't they think that it was true? They both stood there in silence for a long time before Kisuke spook up.

"What?" he finally stuttered, breaking the silence around them.

"Well…. I…don't know," Yoruichi said in a whisper, unable to close her mouth, however disgraceful it was.

"What just happened?" Kisuke asked again, leaning against the wall.

"Apparently…. You're the new 12th Division captain." Yoruichi finally closed her mouth and shut the door quietly. Her eyes were still wide with shock.

"I know that….but…how?" he asked, looking at Yoruichi. He had fear and anxiety in his eyes.

"Well, you know your Ban Release already….remember? And you're exceptionally strong…why wouldn't they choose you?" Yoruichi stated, walking back slowly to Kisuke's room with him at her heels.

He looked at her back and remembered when he had come up with a way to get your Ban Release in only three days training instead of 10 to 20 years training. It only worked on him though but he was sure that more people could learn it and have his method be successful.

"I just didn't expect…" he started to say but stopped himself. Yoruichi sat down on his futon and smiled.

"Well, Congratulations, Kisuke! Welcome to the ranks of a captain," she said happily. Kisuke sat down next to her, apprehension radiating off of him. "What's the matter? Are you scared?" she asked, looking at him with worry.

"No, not scared….," he said, his face not looking at hers.

"It's alright if you're scared….it's normal for a new captain to be a little anxious." She said sympathetically.

"No, really, I'm not scared…I'm excited!" he said, turning to look at her. He had his eager spark in his eyes again. "With this, I can now make all my inventions actually happen. I can make them real, Yoru-chan. I can make a technology center or a research center or both! I can impact all of Soul Society!" Kisuke looked at Yoruichi and had a wild look in his face. She laughed and Kisuke frowned at her.

"Kisuke, you have so many crazy ideas…." She was still laughing at him.

"Yoru-chan, that's not very nice. You shouldn't be laughing at my ambitions," he said, pouting. Yoruichi laughed even harder and leaned back onto Kisuke's futon. His frowned deepened.

"Come on, it's not that funny, stop laughing at me!" he said but she just laughed even harder. He sighed. It was no use. He couldn't make her stop. She would be laughing at him for the rest of the night. But then he got an idea. An idea to make her stop laughing at him. He smiled wickedly to himself. He turned a little pink at the idea but he knew that it would be the only way to make her stop laughing. "Plus," he thought to himself, "I get something I've always wanted from it too."

"If you don't stop laughing at me, I'll make you stop," he said in a playful threatening voice. She clutched at her stomach but kept laughing. A few tears were running down her face from laughing so much. He waited for 30 seconds for her to stop but she didn't. "Fine then," he said.

Before she even realized it, he was bending over her.

"What are you doing?" she asked through fits of laughter.

"I told you I would make you stop laughing at me," he said softly.

Before she could protest, he leaned down and placed his lips on top of hers. Her eyes went wide and her body tensed. She could feel some of his weight on top of her but she could tell that he wasn't putting all of his weight on her so as to not crush her. His breath was warm against her cheek and his lips were soft against hers. He wasn't forcing anything to happen and waited for her to respond on her own. It seemed like hours when their lips finally parted. Kisuke was red and quickly got up off of her.

A shocked silence was between the two as Yoruichi tried to gather her thoughts about what just happened and Kisuke was trying to hide his embarrassment.

"I…. I have to get going…" Kisuke said hurriedly before leaving through the open window. Yoruichi dazedly got up off of the futon and walked to the front door and let herself out. Closing the door, she walked down the street slowly back to her office. She thought about all that had happened that afternoon.

"He kissed me," she said in awe. As that fact became more real in her mind, she smiled and flashed stepped the rest of the way there.

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**_So the next chapter is done! I think that there are only going to be three or four more chapters before this is done. I'm probably going to do a short little epilogue at the end too. Again, if i've gotten any information wrong, please feel free to correct me. The story is getting a little bit more interesting and it's only going to get more interesting because the next part is about Kisuke's arrest! Oooohhh! Fun! nn Please review! Thanks!_**


	5. Chapter 4

**The Rain Stopped  
_By:: Melissa_**

**Disclaimer::** I do not own anything from this story. Everything belongs to Tite Kubo, creator of Bleach. Constructive criticism is welcome. No flames please.

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Kisuke kept running. He didn't stop running. He couldn't stop running. If he stopped running, she could catch him. He didn't stop running until he knew that he was far away from his house or Yoruichi's reiatsu. He walked forward slightly, just realizing where he was. He was standing in the middle of an open field, the sakura blossoms dancing in the air. He closed his eyes, breathing in the pungent scent. It smelled just like Yoruichi.

He sat down gracefully on the grass, staring at the night sky placidly. The stars twinkled in his eyes as he sat in deep thought. Putting his hands together, he closed his eyes again, thinking to himself.

How did I think that kissing Yoruichi would be okay?" he groaned, thinking out loud. He couldn't believe he had kissed her. Of course, he had always wanted to but he didn't think of the consequences at the time. He didn't stop to think that what he was doing was going to end up badly. But it did. What if she didn't feel the same way toward him? What if what he did ruined their friendship? What if she was shocked by what he did?

He regretted doing it. He sincerely did. He thought back to that moment in time. It still made him cringe. He could still see it, clear as day. The shock, the uncertainty, the fear, the anxiety. It was in her body, her eyes, everything about her screamed it. But he specifically remembered it in her eyes. Her eyes which had known no fear before, were wide with amazement. Fear and shock were reflected in those yellow orbs.

"Dammit!" he stood up forcefully, pacing. This was unlike him. He didn't act spontaneously like that. He always planned things out carefully and then made his move. He never just did something because he felt like it. He always had a plan behind his actions. He foresaw every detail, every malfunction, every consequence, and every problem. He never had an unforeseen mistake. He didn't loose his cool like this either. He didn't get emotional like this. He always kept his cool, kept his head. He always hid behind that happy carefree mask of his. He never just spontaneously got angry or was frustrated. He rarely ever let that mask slip from his face. Why now?

"Is this….love?" he asked himself, standing up. He looked at the moon and stared for several minutes at it, hoping to get an answer. But nothing came. He looked into his heart, searching for the answer. He looked within every deep crevice, every nook and cranny for the answer. But he couldn't find it.

He searched his soul for the answer and received more than he had bargained for. There, in his soul, was a beautiful and elegant woman standing there. She was dressed in a kimono belonging to royalty, pink petals embroidered on the bottom. Her dark red hair was done up into a gorgeous headdress, signifying that she was important. There was nothing else around her. As Kisuke made a move toward her, it started to rain. Big, fat droplets of water fell form the sky, as if Kisuke made it rain. The woman didn't move as the rain fell on her head but she looked up sadly at Kisuke.

"Who are you?" Kisuke asked, moving forward a little bit, holding out his hand to her. She didn't answer his question.

"Why do you do this to me, Kisuke?" the woman asked, her voice barely over a whisper. Kisuke leaned in to hear what she was saying.

"Do what to you?" Kisuke asked, becoming more confused.

"Why do you make it rain?" She came forward slightly.

"What do you mean?" He was truly puzzled now.

"Don't you see? It's always raining in here, Kisuke. No matter now much I cry or protest, it still rains. I don't want it to rain, Kisuke." She was looking at him in the eyes.

Kisuke gasped slightly. She had the same fear and anxiety in her eyes that Yoruichi had in hers. The same uncertainty, the same cautiousness and it made his stomach turn.

"But, whenever _she's_ around, it stops raining. The sun comes out and the sky is clear. When she leaves, the rain clouds come and the thunder sounds." The woman looked at the sky, water falling on her face.

"Who is 'she?'" Kisuke asked cautiously. The woman looked at him with a glint in her eyes.

"You know who she is," the woman said, as if he should already know.

"How do I get it to stop raining for you?" he asked, looking for the answer in her eyes.

"You must find out that answer on your own." She turned around and started walking away. Kisuke was lost for words. He wanted to stop her, he wanted to talk to her more, he didn't want her to leave. Kisuke finally found his voice and shouted after her.

"Wait! What's your name?" Kisuke started to walk after her, but he couldn't move. He was stuck. She turned her head around to look at him.

"You already know my name." She walked off and disappeared in the darkness.

Kisuke came back to reality, his mind screaming with a million questions. He didn't realize that he had closed his eyes again. Opening them, he shook his head slightly, trying to clear his head. He was silent for several minutes, trying to absorb everything he had just heard.

"Benihime….I'm sorry that it rains in there…. I'll make sure that…. it won't rain anymore." Kisuke looked at the sword at his side, holding the handle gently. He thought about what would make the rain stop in his soul. He couldn't think of anything. He was lost for an answer. He brushed his hand through his hair, trying to come up with something. He closed his eyes again.

"Benihime, what is the answer? What will make the rain stop? Please tell me," he thought to himself. He had his hands opened, palm up and felt something fall into them. He opened his eyes in surprise, not expecting something to come.

In his hands was a sakura blossom from the tree he was standing under. He brought it up to his face and inhaled the scent. He closed his eyes again, getting lost in the tiny flower.

"It smells just like Yoruichi," he said, smiling. A look of realization came over his face as he put two and two together. His eyes snapped open. He had found the answer. He looked carefully at the sakura blossom in his hand, holding it gently. He moved down away from his face and looked at it for a long time.

"Yoruichi," he whispered. He pocketed the small flower into his robes and left the field. He walked off to the Captains Division to get instructions about his new job, keeping his new plan in the back of his mind.

**The Next Day…**

Yoruichi walked down the dusty street, a smile on her face. She walked into her office in the 2nd division and didn't even complain at the piles of paperwork on her desk. She sat down and picked up the first paper and started to read it. It was useless. Her head was absent from work today. Yoruichi had read the same line three times. Just then, a girl came into her office and Yoruichi looked up quickly.

"Soifon, good morning! How are you?" A small girl with short black hair came walking into the room.

"I'm doing great! What puts you in such a cheery mood, Yoruichi-taichou?" Soifon sat down opposite her teacher.

"Nothing, I'm just happy today is all! And remember, I told you, don't calling me taichou, you can just call me Yoruichi." She grinned and signed another paper with a flourish.

"I know, but it's just more respectful that way. Since you are nobility and all," Soifon said, looking at her pointedly.

"Nobility, Schm-bility. It doesn't matter. Have you learned anything new?" Yoruichi rolled her eyes at Soifon.

"Well no, but I have practiced the new techniques you taught me two days ago. I'm getting really good at them now," Soifon said, winking at Yoruichi.

"Good, how's practice going with your zanpakutou?" Yoruichi signed another paper, completing the stack originally in front of her. She moved those papers down to the ground, making a note to not forget them.

"It's good, I'm still a learning a little bit but ban release is getting better and easier. Maybe I'll be as good as you soon!" Soifon laughed. Yoruichi smiled and signed another paper. "Is there anything you would like for me to do today?" She asked, getting up from the chair she had sat in.

"I would like for you to help train the new shinigami on the Ops team." Yoruichi moved the next pile in front of her, getting lost behind them.

"Okay! See ya!" Soifon left the room, leaving Yrouichi by herself. She smiled and started on the big stack of papers in front of her. Halfway through the pile, she found a piece of paper folded in half that had Kisuke's handwriting on it. It was addressed to her. She took the letter and opened it.

Yoru-chan,

I was wondering if you would like to meet with me so that we could talk. I have something that I would like to tell you as well. If you would like to meet, please come to the far west field that has the sakura trees in them at six o'clock.

-Kisuke

Yoruichi folded the letter back up and stuck it in her robes. She made a mental note to not forget about this meeting. She sat down and decided to take a break from all the paperwork to think.

"What does Kisuke want to tell me?" Yoruichi thought to herself, her mind running a mile a minute. Maybe he wanted to talk to her about the kiss. What was there to talk about? He kissed her. Nothing more, nothing less. It was that simple.

"No," she thought, shaking her head. It wasn't simple. It was far from simple. If she was told that he just kissed her for no reason, it would break her heart. There was so much on the line. So much at stake. Her heart, her feelings, her emotional state. She hated feeling vulnerable like this. She liked to be in control of the situation. She didn't like not knowing the outcome, the end result. She didn't like being hurt. But she couldn't deny it. She loved him. She knew it like she had always felt that way. She wanted only him and no one else. But would he want only her?

At six o'clock, Yoruichi left the office and walked slowly down the dusty street, stopping herself from walking more quickly. After several minutes, she had made it to the field, only two minutes late. Kisuke was standing with his back to her, looking at the sunset in the west. Yoruichi walked forward slowly, taking in her surroundings. The wind blew gently, stirring her hair. The sakura trees were swaying in the breeze, making the scent of the blossoms become stronger. Yoruichi cleared her throat softly and Kisuke looked around at her. He smiled and turned all the way as Yoruichi came closer.

"Hey," he said, stopping in front of her.

"Hello," she said shyly. She was surprised at herself. She had never been shy before, let alone in front of her best friend.

"I have something to tell you," he said, getting straight to the point.

"Yes?" Yoruichi asked, sitting down on the grass.

Kisuke was silent for a while, looking at the sakura trees. He went over to a tree and pulled a blossom from a branch, holding it in his hand. He put it up to his face and smelled it, a smile coming onto his face. He turned away and looked at the sunset.

"You're my best friend. We've known each other since we were children. We've always been there for each other, through good and bad. But we're both growing and changing and the thought of you, that I have, is changing as well." Kisuke stopped, looking more deeply at the dying sun, the last light shining in his grey eyes. Yoruichi was silent, taking in everything he was saying.

"You're an amazing girl, Yoru-chan. You're beautiful and talented. You're one of the strongest girls I know. You're friendly, funny, caring and an overall great person. And… and I can't go on denying this any longer." Kisuke turned to look at Yoruichi. She looked at him, waiting for a reply.

"I…I love you, Yoru-chan. Not the friendship love that we've had for so long. This is a different kind of love. It's the romantic love that I've never felt for anyone else before. Yoru-chan, you're the only girl for me." Kisuke moved forward a little bit, fear in his eyes. He waited in anxiousness for her answer.

She sat in shock. She couldn't believe it. He felt the same way as she did for him. She didn't think it was possible. That he of all people would love her. She smiled slightly, the shock wearing off. She stood up and wrapped her arms carefully around his neck and smiled widely. Kisuke's face changed quickly from fear to shock as he realized what was going on.

"Really? Well, I have something to tell you then as well," she paused, looking into his grey eyes. He opened his mouth to say something but she put her finger over his mouth silencing him. He shut his mouth, still looking at her in shock. "I love you too." She stood up on her tip toes and placed her lips on Kisuke's in a kiss.

In Kisuke's soul, Benihime smiled, looking at the sky. The white fluffy clouds were out and the sun was shining.

"You found the answer, Kisuke and now the rain has stopped. I want there to be a time where not a single raindrop falls from this sky nor a single teardrop fall from you eyes…" She walked off in the distance, the bright sunshine gleaming off her hair.

* * *

**_Really long chapter, I know. I think they're going to be long the rest of the way through the story now. As you can tell, Yoruichi and Kisuke confess their feelings to each other about each other. ironic, no? And yes, the woman is Kisuke's soul is Benihime, his sword. Ya know, Benihime means "Crimson Princess" and i made it wear she was wearing clothes of royalty and had dark red hair...oh my gosh, look at that, symbolism. Anyways, next chapter should be up by next weekend. or even tomorrow maybe. So please review! Thanks! 3_**


	6. Chapter 5

**The Rain Stopped  
_By:: Melissa_**

_Italics_- Flashback

**Disclaimer::** I do not own anything from this story. Everything belongs to Tite Kubo, creator of Bleach. Constructive criticism is welcome. No flames please.

* * *

**Chapter 5**

**Several Years Later….**

Yoruichi ran quickly down the streets, cursing to herself. How could he let this happen? He was throwing everything away for this? How could he? She held back the tears as she kept running towards the looming building. She had to keep a clear head. She couldn't let herself break down like this. It was like her to do that. She had to stay strong.

She had heard, only a few short hours ago that Kisuke had been taken under arrest. And she knew exactly why. He had told her himself. Yoruichi's mind wandered to the day that Kisuke told her about his newest invention….

"_Yoru-chan, look at this," Kisuke said, passing the paper to her. She looked at it and saw a drawing of a human body on it and it looked exactly like Kisuke's._

"_What is this?" Yoruichi asked, looking at the paper in confusion._

"_It's my newest invention," he said, pointing to the body on the page. "It's a gigai. But it's a little different. You see, this is a reiatsu diminishing gigai. What happens is, when a shinigami comes into this body as an emergency, it's reiatsu is slowly eaten away so that the shinigami can never get back its powers. It's phenomenal."_

"_What good is it though? I mean, don't shinigami want to keep their powers? What good would a reiatsu diminishing gigai be?" _

"_It would do a lot of good! What if a shinigami didn't want to be a shinigami anymore? And what if they wanted to settle down as a normal human with no powers? This gigai would be good for them._

"_But also," Kisuke said, putting his hand up to his chin, thinking. "if someone was being pursued by other shinigami and didn't want to be found out, they would want this gigai, right? Because then, their reiatsu would be gone and they would just look like a normal human being and the pursuers would be gone. It can help protect those that are being chased after for unjust reasons." Kisuke looked at Yoruichi, a confused look on his own face._

"_Well, I think it sounds fishy, Kisuke. You better not get into trouble with this," Yoruichi said, looking at the piece of paper with disdain._

"_Oh, I won't. Don't worry, it'll be alright," he said, smiling at her. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and walked out of the room, leaving her standing there in confusion._

She bit her lip and kept racing, as if she was against the clock. But she knew that she was. It would only be hours before they convicted Kisuke and executed him. And she couldn't let that happen to him. She just couldn't. She had to save him. She battled against time as the sun set slowly, the sky turning a dark red color.

She knew that what she was doing was wrong. That what she was doing would strip her of her nobility and of her title as Commander of the Covert Ops and Executive Militia. However, she just couldn't stand by and let her best friend die. She remembered the old saying she always heard. What society thinks is right and what everyone else says is right, doesn't always make it right. She knew that executing Kisuke was wrong. So she had to go against everyone else to do what she thought was the right thing.

She finally made it in front of the holding cells, not even out of breath. She walked stealthily to the front doors, making sure that the guards didn't see her. In an instant, she took them out, using her flash step. She opened the fronts doors and walked inside.

Kisuke turned his head around when he heard a commotion. He was sitting against the wall, staring out of the window. He watched the sun go down, the last of its light reflecting in his eyes. He stood up slowly, taking hold of his sword quickly. He heard quick footsteps running down the hallways, as if looking for someone. He looked warily outside of his cell, unsure as to who it was.

"Kisuke!" Yoruichi yelled, coming to a stop in front of his cell. He looked at her with a surprised look on his face. He didn't know what to say. She scowled at him and took out the keys from her pocket. "Come on, let's go."

"Yoru-chan, what are you doing here?" Kisuke asked, still dumbfounded.

"What do you think I'm doing here for? I'm here to rescue you!" She opened the cell door and held it open for Kisuke.

"But don't you realize! You'll lose everything! Your nobility, your ranking, everything!" He exclaimed, unable to bear the guilt of ruining everything for her. She rolled her eyes.

"I know that and I don't care. I can't see you being killed, now come on before more guards show up." She grabbed his arm and ran down the hallway with him. He looked at her, stunned. He couldn't believe that she would give up everything for him. He couldn't comprehend it. He didn't allow himself to.

"Yoruichi, why are you doing this?" he asked, trying to keep up with her.

"Because….I can't watch you get executed. And I don't know what I would do without you. Remember that promise we made?" She said, looking at him. He remembered it as if it was yesterday….

_It was right after they had finished training for the day. They were both tired but they both knew that they were getting better. Yoruichi was lying down in the grass, her head on Kisuke's lap, looking at the fireflies dancing around her. Kisuke put his hand on her head and played with her hair._

"_Hey, Kisuke?" she asked, looking up at him._

"_Mmmhmm?"_

"_Can you promise me something?"_

"_What is it?"_

"_That we'll always be there for each other? No matter what?"_

"_Of course, Yoru-chan. You promise me the same thing?"_

"_Yes, I promise." She closed her eyes, at peace with the moment. Kisuke stroked her hair and stared at her tenderly._

Yoruichi could hear the whistles of the guards, alerting that there was an escaped prisoner. She quickly picked up Kisuke and flashed stepped away. They had finally made it to the gates. Beyond this point, none of the captains or vice captains could catch them. Yoruichi put Kisuke down and they ran by themselves to the gates. Kisuke still had his doubts about letting Yoruichi follow him.

"Yoru-chan, you know you don't have to come with me," he said, stopping her.

"Kisuke, of course I'm coming with her. If I don't, I'll be convicted for helping you escape. We're in this together. Now let's go," she said, running toward the gate. He followed her and soon, they were out of the inner city. They were now able to walk more slowly to their actual exit of Soul Society but Kisuke could already feel the pain of leaving his home.

They had finally made it to their exit an hour or so later. Yoruichi looked mournfully at Soul Society, knowing that she could never come back and be who she was again. Kisuke looked back as well, the place he called home tugging at his heart. He knew that he couldn't go back and he knew that he would be executed if he did. Yoruichi walked through the exit, leaving Kisuke with his thoughts. He looked at the sky and sighed heavily. He would miss this place. Turning around, he started walking toward the exit. He looked back one last time, savoring the last memories he would have of Soul Society. He walked through the exit, knowing that that was the last time he would ever be there again.

* * *

**_Kind of a short chapter i know. but the next one should be either a bit longer or a bit shorter, i don't know yet. But yes, i had to put in Kisuke's banishment. I think i might have gotten a few facts wrong about how Yoruichi saved him but I don't know so if i did, please let me know so that i can revise it and change it! The story will end with the next chapter and the epilogue. so please review! Thanks! 3_**


	7. Chapter 6

**The Rain Stopped  
_By:: Melissa_**

**Disclaimer::** I do not own anything from this story. Everything belongs to Tite Kubo, creator of Bleach. Constructive criticism is welcome. No flames please.

* * *

**Chapter 6**

Kisuke looked proudly at his new home, the sign still gleaming in the sunlight. He tilted his hat on his head, putting his eyes in the shadows. He rubbed his hands together, unable to decide if this was really what he wanted or not.

The sign above the door read, "Urahara Shop," advertising his yew type of business. He laughed to himself, surprised that no one noticed that a new shop had popped up over night. The grin on his face quickly slid off, unable to be truly happy. He signed sadly, already missing the place he called home. But he couldn't go back and he knew it. Walking back inside the shop, his odd shoes clicked against the floor.

He sat sadly down onto a pillow, looking at the chaos in the new shop. Boxes were everywhere, shelves were halfway assembled, and cleaning items were scattered everywhere. He knew he could manage this shop on his own but it was rather lonely.

Kisuke was now an entrepreneur. A seller of items from Soul Society that shinigami in the human world could buy for themselves. Some of them were his own inventions and some of them weren't. There were Soul Candy, fake gigai, different candies and sweets, also a rare candy called Space Candy, and a lot more. He got up, picked up a box and started sorting through the items inside. His eyes were sad and downcast, the pain of leaving Soul Society still fresh. He started pulling items out of the box when he heard the door open. He turned around, looking at the new arrivals.

Coming into the house, Tessai Tsukabishi, Ururu Tsumugiya, and Jinta Hanakari looked at Kisuke and smiled with glee. Kisuke looked at them in stunned silence, his eyes going wide.

"What are you guys doing here?" Kisuke asked, still surprised.

"We've come to help you run the shop," Tessai said, picking up a box and sorting through the items.

"But…what about Soul Society? Don't you want to stay there?" Kisuke asked, knowing that he would give anything to go back to Soul Society.

"Not if our captain is gone. We don't want to follow under anyone except for you," Jinta exclaimed, picking up a broom and pretending to fight with it.

Tessai, Ururu, and Jinta were all friends of the famous former captain. All of them were as strong as shinigami and were very good friends. Kisuke had been there for them just as much as they'd been there for him.

"Hey, squirt, come over here and help me." A melodic female voice reached Kisuke's ears as he turned around to look at the door. Jinta glared at the door as he opened it, despising being called squirt.

Yoruichi walked through the door, two heavy boxes in her arms. She set them down on the ground with a thud and brushed her hands off. Looking up at Kisuke, she smiled and went over to stand next to him.

"Yoru-chan, where have you been?" Kisuke asked, his mind reeling with a million questions.

"I went to go pick them up," she said, pointing at the three newcomers. "And I picked up some more boxes from the station."

Kisuke smiled at her, thinking that he could get used to this. To being in the human world. He picked up a box and started sorting through the items, believing that he could be happy here.

That night, Kisuke tucked in Ururu and Jinta into bed, the store having some order to it. Tessai had turned off his light and Kisuke couldn't find Yoruichi. She wasn't in her room and no where in the house. Getting worried, Kisuke went outside and saw her standing on the roof, looking at the stars.

"Hey," Kisuke said, hopping up onto the roof. Yoruichi turned around to look at him but turned back around to the stars quickly.

"Hi," she said softly.

"What's the matter?" he asked, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"I don't know, Kisuke… I just don't know," she muttered, turning to look at him, sadness in her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know what I want anymore, Kisuke," she said sadly.

"I don't know what you mean," Kisuke said softly, his mind working furiously to put two and two together.

"I miss home. I miss Soul Society. I miss my family and friends. I want to go back but I know that I can't go back. I wouldn't be able to see anyone and I would be a disgrace. I don't know what to do, Kisuke." She sat down, putting her head in her hands.

"You didn't have to help me, Yoru-chan. You could've just stayed in Soul Society with your family and Soifon and your position…." Kisuke started to say but was cut off by Yoruichi.

"No, I couldn't have just stayed and not help you. I made a promise, Kisuke, I made you that promise. And I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't help you. To condemn my best friend? I couldn't do it. But I don't know if I could stay here either."

"Can't stay here? What do you mean?"

"There are too many memories here. Too many memories of home, of my family, of everything I left behind. And I don't think I could handle that now. Not now. The sadness of leaving is still fresh and I don't know if I could be strong enough to not crack. Kisuke, I'm tired and I don't know if I could handle all of this right now." She looked up at him and smiled sadly.

"I don't understand, Yoruichi….what are you trying to say?" Kisuke looked at her, his eyes scrunching up.

"Kisuke, I'm leaving. Tonight. If I stayed any longer, I wouldn't want to come back at all. Oh, I'll come back every once in a while…. I just need to leave now. I can't take it anymore. I just…need time." She stood up and faced the stars, her back to Kisuke.

"Where will you go?" he asked, his heart crashing to the ground.

"I don't know. Somewhere. I'll find some place. I should tell you this now… every month a shipment of items will come into the station. Just things that you can sell. So don't forget about that." she turned toward him and smiled. "I'll be back to visit soon, don' worry."

"But what about…. What about us, Yoruichi? What will happen to us?" Kisuke was trying to grasp any type of reason for her to stay. Any type of excuse.

"I don't know, Kisuke, I haven't thought of that... you know I'll always love you….but maybe 'we' should just…."

"No! Don't even suggest it. I love you, Yoruichi and I don't want 'us' to end." He stood up quickly, his eyes going wide. He walked over to her and took her hands into his.

"How would we make it work, Kisuke? It wouldn't work. I'm sorry, Kisuke… but this has to end." She dropped his hands and backed away slowly.

"Yoru-chan…"

"Stop, Kisuke. No more excuses. No more reasons. I'm leaving." She looked at him sadly. "Goodbye, Kisuke." A single tear trickled down her cheek as she tried to smile at him. She quickly wiped it away and jumped off of the roof, leaving Kisuke standing there in shock.

Kisuke stood there till the sun rose in the morning, looking out across the skyline, just waiting in earnest for her to come back. But she never did. Tessai came out and looked at his boss, worry on his face.

"Manager, you okay?" Tessai asked, drawing Kisuke's attention.

"What? Oh, yes, I'm fine…." Kisuke looked down in amazement at Tessai, as if he didn't know he was there in the human world at all. He looked at the sun and squinted, just realizing that it was morning.

"Come down here, you'll catch a cold," Tessai said, motioning down at Kisuke.

"Alright, I'll be down in a minute." Kisuke looked down at Tessai again and smiled a little bit. Tessai went into the house and shut the shop door with a snap. Kisuke looked again at the rising sun and sighed. He knew in his heart that she wasn't coming back. At least not for a while. And that pained him the most. He wanted her back. He wanted her with him. But he knew that she would never stay with him. Not for more than a week. Maybe even less. Climbing down from the roof, he sighed and went directly to his room, not stopping to say hello to Ururu and Jinta.

He climbed onto his futon and laid there until it was noon. He just laid there, staying at the wall, still waiting for her to return to him. He knew that Tessai was worried about him. He knew that Ururu and Jinta were worried as well. But he didn't care. He just wanted to be left alone to wait for his goddess.

A single tear ran down his cheek, crying himself into a dreamless slumber.

* * *

**_So this is the actual last chapter of this story. There's still an epilogue to come but this is the actual end. A little sad, a little depressing but hopefully with the epilogue it'll be more bittersweet. I didn't know how Kisuke knew Tessai, Jinta, or Ururu before...cause they seem like pretty good friends that knew each other for a while...so i just made it where they were members of the same division...but if i'm wrong, please don't hesitate to correct me and i'll be sure to revise this chapter with the correct information. also, sorry it took so long to update this chapter. I've been busy. xD so enjoy and please review! Thanks!_**


	8. Epilogue

**The Rain Stopped  
_By:: Melissa_**

**Disclaimer::** I do not own anything from this story. Everything belongs to Tite Kubo, creator of Bleach. All rights reserved. Constructive criticism is welcome. No flames please.

* * *

**Epilogue  
****Kisuke's POV**

She left that night and she didn't come back for a long time. I can't remember all that well how long it was; it's one of those times in my life that I try not to remember. I try and push it to the back of my mind. Sure, she came back sometimes but never more than for an hour. She would always come back for food, shelter, first aid, something and then would just leave again. Leaving me again. We never did officially end things. It just faded away. The relationship we had just faded away. The feelings never did. At least not for me. The feelings always stayed and always lingered. The feelings would always rise when she came back but when she left the feelings hit their all time low. I know the people around me were always worried when I went into that mood. Tessai, Ururu, and Jinta always looked at me like I was ready to either explode in tears or anger. I usually just sat in my room or slept. And it didn't matter how long; however long it took for me to recover. Because whenever she came back, I was always left with a broken heart again. I was always left beaten and alone again. And the little princess in my soul cried and cried and cried for me to make it stop. To make it stop raining all the time. To make the sun come out and the skies to turn blue. But I always had to tell her that it wasn't possible. That if Yoruichi would only stay, that would happen. But she never did. She couldn't. And the rain continued to pour. It was like that all the time. I didn't like to see Benihime cry. I didn't like to see her hurt. But it was always like that and I couldn't do anything about it. I said sorry to her everyday and hoped that one day I could make it up to her. That one day I could make her smile. Just for me. I don't know when that day will come, nor does she. But we both hope that it's soon. Even though it does rain everyday in my soul, whenever Yoru-chan comes back…. the sun shines through and the skies are bright and clear… and the rain stops, if only for a short while.

* * *

**_So that is the end of the story. That's all that there is. Hopefully, this leaves the ending at least a little bit happier. This basically says that, yes, yoruichi left kisuke and doesn't come back for any long period of time...but when she does come back, the sun shines in his soul and the rain always stops when she does. so it's a little bittersweet, but underlying there is that there is hope that she will stay and that the rain in his soul will finally stop forever. I hope you all enjoyed this story and my next Bleach fanfic will be "Worthy" an UkitakexOC fanfic. So if you like that, look out for that next! Please review! Thanks!_**


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